Torres bags silver in Asian long jump, sets mark

Marestella Torres has arrived. Torres became the new toast of Philippine athletics after legends Lydia de Vega and Elma Muros by winning the silver medal in the women’s long jump final in the 16th Asian Athletic Championships in Incheon, Korea on Sunday.

Her leap of 6.63 meters is only .02 centimeters off the golden jump of Bobby George Anju of India (6.65), way better than the 6.52 of bronze winner Ikeda Kumiko of Japan, and broke the Philippine record of 6.56 co-owned by the now semi-retired Muros and Lerma Bulauitan (2004).

It also ended a 12-year medal drought for the Philippines, which had a bronze courtesy of Muros, also in long jump, when Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (PATAFA) president Go Teng Kok brought the prestigious event in Manila in 1993.

"She’s the new queen of ‘GTK’s Army’ and I’m mighty proud of her," said Go, who immediately informed the RP Team’s sponsors San Miguel Corp., PAGCOR and the First Gentleman Foundation of Torres’ feat.

Philippine Olympic Committee president Jose "Peping" Cojuangco and Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez also commended Torres through Go who, despite the fact that no member of the RP Team in Korea had a cellphone, made frantic calls to his fellow AAA officials who were present to talk to his wards.

Cojuangco said Torres should be emulated by the rest of the Filipino athletes preparing for the Southeast Asian Games, calling her feat "as timely as our tireless effort to succeed as host and competitor" of the biennial event slated late this year.

Torres and Bulauitan, who placed sixth with 6.40 meters in a field of 15, also dominated the recent three-leg Asian Grand Prix where Torres won two golds and the latter one.

Other members of GTK’s Army who saw action on the final day were Mary Grace Milgar, sixth in a field of eight in the 400 hurdles with 58.09; Mercedita Manipol ninth in the 5,000 run (17:01.15) and Danilo Fresnido 11th in the javelin throw (66.60 meters).

The 4x400 relay team of Jimar Aing, Julius Nieres, Ernie Candelario and Ronnie Marfil were preparing to run the finals at presstime.

Earlier, Arnel Ferreira reset the Philippine record with his 58.61 effort in hammer throw.

"The team is on track in our preparations for the SEA Games. We were on the lookout, watching if our Southeast Asian neighbors have a surprise for us. There were some, but generally, we’re still a step or two ahead," added Go.

Torres had leapt 6.63 two months ago in a tournament in Taipei, but her effort to reset the RP mark then was negated by wind conditions.